In conventional gas metal arc welding (GMAW) assemblies, the welding speed depends on the speed of formation of the weld pool used to form the weld join. In GMAW assemblies, a power source delivers current to melt a consumable electrode wire to produce the weld pool. As a result, some arc welding assemblies increase the amount of welding current provided to the consumable electrode wire and work piece to be welded, consequently increasing the melting rate and the welding speed. Providing heat to the work piece is important, because it may facilitate greater penetration of the weld pool inside the work piece, thereby improving the weld strength. However, too much welding current delivered to the work piece may overheat the work piece, and weaken the weld strength.
To reduce overheating of the work piece, a double electrode gas metal arc welding (GMAW) assembly 1 as shown in FIG. 1 has been utilized. Referring to FIG. 1, the assembly 1 comprises a welding contact tip 10 having a consumable wire electrode 12 at its end. The assembly further comprises a bypass torch 20 with a tip 22, which is configured to divert a portion of the welding current away from the work piece. The assembly 1 is configured to provide enough current to increase the melting rate of the consumable wire 12 and the weld speed, while diverting current that would result in the overheating of the work piece.
These benefits notwithstanding, the large size and configuration of the double electrode arc welding assembly 1 and its components prevent the user from accessing the weld joints and work piece, especially for narrower joints. As welding demands increase, the need arises for improvements in bypass torch configurations and components thereof, which provide the user with increased access to the weld joints and work piece, increased maneuverability, and/or lower cost.